Tag: chemistry

Aroma Chemistry - The Smell of Coffee

The Chemical Compounds Behind the Aroma of Coffee

Infographic on the aroma of coffee. Roasted coffee beans contain over 1000 chemical compounds, but not all of these are extracted during brewing. Polar molecules are more soluble in water and a greater proportion of them are extracted. Only a minority of the extracted compounds contribute to aroma, and this is dependent on both their concentrations and the threshold at which the human nose can detect them. The aroma varies in composition for different coffee beans.
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Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or completely unfussy about the manner in which you get your caffeine fix, there’s no denying that the smell of freshly-brewed coffee in the morning is an invigorating one. The chemistry behind this aroma, though, is far from simple; a complex collection of chemical compounds are responsible, and this graphic takes a look at a selection of these.

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Medicinal Chemistry - Common Components of Vaccines

A Summary of Common Vaccine Components

Medicinal Chemistry - Common Components of Vaccines Summary
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The recent measles outbreak in the US has once again provoked discussion over vaccinations, and why some parents choose not to vaccinate their children despite the benefits of doing so. Whilst not the only factor, part of the blame lies with misinformation about the chemical composition of vaccines and the effects these compounds can have. This graphic summarises some of the key components in vaccines, as well as clarifying their purpose and safety in the concentrations present.

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Classes of Antidepressants Summary

Major Classes of Antidepressants

Major Classes of Antidepressants Summary
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You might have noted that yesterday was ‘Blue Monday’ – lauded as the most depressing day of the year. You might also be aware that Blue Monday was actually the construct of a Sky Travel marketing campaign several years ago, and is complete pseudoscience. Still, it seemed like as good an excuse as any to throw together this graphic, which looks at some of the different classes of antidepressants, and to discuss a little of how they work.

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Chemical Structures of Vitamins 2016

The Chemical Structures of Vitamins

Chemical Structures of Vitamins 2016
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Vitamins are an important part of our diet, but you probably haven’t given a great deal of thought to their chemical structures. This graphic shows chemical structures for all 13 vitamins; though there can be some variability in these structures in sources of the vitamins, these are generally representative. They perform a range of roles in the body; below is a brief discussion, and a look at the evidence for taking vitamin supplements.

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Shapes of Snowflakes

The Shapes of Snowflakes

The Shapes of Snowflakes
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In the Northern Hemisphere at least, the idealised vision of Christmas involves snow. Whilst no one snowflake is exactly the same as another, at least on a molecular level, scientists have none-the-less devised a system of classification for the many types of crystals that snow can form. This graphic shows the shapes and names of some of the groups of this classification.

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